Latest / The Daily Word / May 29 – Faith Comes by Hearing
Transcript
- Cory Barnes: Well, it's May 29th. It's Pastor Ginny here, and we are in Romans chapter 10 today. Romans chapter 10 is I would say a very well-known ⁓ chapter to many, whether you realize it or not, because it's gonna be where we really get our doctrine of salvation from. Of course, Romans 10, verses 9 and 10. should be familiar to you. If you haven't done your reading today, let me tell you what that says. It says, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe him in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. So what I really want to lean into today though is going to be Romans chapter 10. Verse 17, which is this, so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We see in this scripture where it's so important, it's so vital, it's so key that people hear God's word. What does that mean? That means we need to know God's word. And so want to encourage you, that. It's so critical that we continue to not only read God's word, but that we hide it in our hearts and that we then go on to proclaim it. Because we don't want to just be, I'll say, gobbling it up for ourselves and tucking it away, but there's a confession that takes place. We even see that the starting point of salvation is that we believe in our heart, but there's a confessing with the mouth. That we do, that Jesus is Lord. And then as we're confessing and believing, there's a report, there's a testimony that goes on to take place. And it's not just our personal testimony, but we have to bring the gospel to to those around us. And so that's really what this entire chapter is about because it's really about bringing the gospel to the Israelites. Paul goes on to talk about that. Gospel's for everyone, first for ⁓ the Jew, but then for the Greek, that it's really for everyone, and that no one's gonna be able to say that the the gospel wasn't brought to them. And so God's primary means of reaching people with the gospel is through his word. So I've definitely heard of testimonies of Jesus meeting people in their dreams and talking to them, and so God has any means by which he can reveal himself to people, but we know the primary tool and way that whether someone gets the word of God, the the written word of God in front of them, or it is proclaimed and preached to them through others, that's really going to be the way that the Holy Spirit is speaking today because his word was inspired by the Holy Spirit, of course. What I love about this chapter too though, and I want to encourage us with, is that Paul quotes, of course When Paul's writing, what we have now is the New Testament. The New Testament didn't exist. ⁓ so what did Paul have as the written word? They have what we know as the Old Testament, and not even the full extent of the Old Testament, but he pulls into this passage, he quotes Isaiah the prophet. ⁓ and I point that out because as we are looking to proclaim the word of God. And proclaim God's word. I know we've been on this journey together for almost six months of reading the New Testament. But I hope that maybe by now, maybe already, you've started to venture into the Old Testament. But as you're growing in your ⁓ daily time with the Lord and in your Bible reading, I want to encourage you that if you haven't already, at some point, work that into your daily rhythms to look through the full extent of God's word. ⁓ the life journal plan aims to take you through the entire Bible, all of God's Word through the course of a year. I believe it's actually designed to take you through all of the Old Testament and then actually the New Testament twice through the course of a year. ⁓ So it's important to know all of God's Word. And I love how that's what Paul does in this passage. Not only does he just he's not just randomly pulling out Isaiah's words, but he's tying it all in together. And when we read scripture and that's what we do, that's what we're we're pulling it all together. It's not one scripture stands alone and it's saying this, but when we both teach and read through the lens of scripture, it's all working together. God is speaking. It's one thought, it's one story ⁓ that God is speaking and telling us. So that's really kind of my overall thought for the day. If you haven't done your reading, be sure to lean in, do your reading, and be reminded that God is who he says he is, that he is speaking, that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We have a responsibility to, as believers, to continue to know God's word, to study his word. We're always going to be learners of the word, but to be preaching and proclaiming, does that mean we're all pastors up on a pulpit and a platform? No. But Simply preaching just means sharing the word with others. And so as you're learning God's word, I promise, I have no doubt you're gonna have opportunity to share words of encouragement with those around you. God will put people in your path where you'll have opportunity to share even little nuggets with those around you because truth is you know like truth is truth and God wants his truth to be known. Because he wants himself to be known in all the world. He deeply desires to be known and to know his people. And he uses his word ⁓ to do that. So let us pray. Lord, we come before you and we thank you so much for your word. Thank you, God, that you ⁓ have come to us. Lord, I thank you for revealing yourself to me this morning through your word. But for all the years from the time I was young that you were speaking your word to me, God, that I have come to saving faith through your word and come to relationship with you. And God, that it was not the beginning and ending point, but it was only the beginning of not just knowledge, but a relationship with you. Thank you, Lord, that you're continuing to reveal who you are and your goodness and your faithfulness and just more and more of who you are to me. God, as you continue to give me revelation upon revelation, Lord, would you give me boldness to share that with others, to share your truth and your love, your mercy, your grace and your compassion with the world around me, both to encourage believers And to draw unbelievers unto you. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you're going before me. That as we engage those convers me and those listening, as we engage those conversations, you'll give us the words to say. Lord, that we don't have to be fearful. But Lord, that you would give us boldness and confidence in all of those conversations. Thank you, Lord, that you go before us and that you're with us. So, Lord, we ask you for opportunities today and in the days to come. to share you with others, to proclaim who you are, that others may come to the saving knowledge of truth in Jesus. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.